


Juggling

by SunnyD_lite



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen, post-Helpless
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-01
Updated: 2010-04-01
Packaged: 2017-10-08 14:43:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/76715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunnyD_lite/pseuds/SunnyD_lite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Aftermath of yet another Buffy Birthday</p>
            </blockquote>





	Juggling

**Author's Note:**

> TamingtheMuse Prompt: 86 Juggling (yup inspired title)  
> A/N: Thanks to enigmaticblues for fly-by betaing! A scene that should have been there.

"Buffy, ready to study?" Willow plopped down on the student sofa beside her.

"Study?" Okay, not winning points for conversation, but really it had been a bad week. All her birthday weeks were bad weeks. Hmm, maybe next year she could skip her birthday?

"Yup, for the algebra test? That's happening tomorrow? The one that's a quarter of the final grade?" She was doing her concerned pouty face.

Buffy always caved before the pouty face. She wondered if Wills knew that.

"Oh, that test. Least it won't come with a Latin name and won't involve my mom. It won't involve Mom, right?"

"Not unless you fail," Willow said blithely. She must have seen something in her face. "Don't worry, if we study together no way will you fail."

"A no-fail policy? Sign me up!" Xander slid onto the table in front of them.

With his patented grin, he continued, "Hey, Buffy, I've got a little something for the event that shall remain nameless. We could add cake to the study group? How much trouble can we get into studying?"

"And ice cream?" Now she put on her hopeful face. Life was always better with ice cream. And at least she was off patrolling until her strength was back. And really hadn't liked telling Faith about her unexpected--or very expected and she still wasn't sure if she'd forgiven Giles yet--down time.

"He poisoned you?" Her hand was on her cocked hip. "Man, and I thought he liked you better than me. Sure B., I'll take patrol, no sweat."

One less ball to juggle, at least this week.

"We could do it at my house. Mom's kinda in a keeping an eye on me/gloat over me mode right now. I'm sure it will fade as my strength comes back."

"So, it's an inverse relationship. I could show you how to graph that."

From the corner of her eye, Buffy caught Xander's equally stunned look. She guessed Willow noticed when she slowed down. "Or maybe not."

"Two birds, one stone. Sounds juggle-able." So school, check. Mom, check. Patrol, covered.

"I've just got one thing left to do." She didn't want to, she really didn't want to. But she was eighteen now. An adult. Heck, even the Council agreed with that. She straightened her shoulders; time to do the hard stuff.

"So study party at my house, tonight at seven." Willow looked worried, she felt herself wince and revised that. "Um, five-ish? We'll order pizza." They nodded; add food and Xander always turned up. Was he even taking their math course? She pulled her hair into a pony tail. "I've got to see Giles. Wish me luck."

She pushed the library doors open, noticing for the first time how heavy they were. Maybe she'd noticed before, but was too busy with the wigging to remember it.

Wigging cuz she had no idea what was wrong with her and Giles had ignored her concerns. Him not listening should have been a big blinking "something's wrong" sign. He might roll his eyes as often as she did, but he was the one adult who took what she said seriously. He sure let the ball drop on this one.

Then he'd been fired. In front of her. She wasn't sure, but thought that fell under bad management techniques, not that she'd expect anything different from the Council. It must have hurt, hurt bad, but she didn't think it was something ice cream could fix. He'd seen her through her mistakes. He'd managed to forgive her about Angel. She was a grown up now. She'd see him through his. Mom said she had different kinds of strength. Guess that's what she'd use now.

"Hey Giles."


End file.
